Snapchat Lawsuit: The Mental Health Effects of Snapchat

Snapchat is different from other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

Nevertheless, it may provide pathways for the propagation of harmful content among young users.

Social media companies aren’t blind to the negative mental health affects their platforms cause young users.

This is evident in the Facebook documents leaked by Frances Haugen to the Wall Street Journal

Social media companies are potentially liable for the following mental health issues young users have suffered.

If your child has suffered from any of the following disorders due to excessive social media use or social media addictions, we are a call away:

• Body dysmorphia
• Eating disorders
• Social media addiction
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Negative Social Comparison
• Self Harm and Suicidal ideation
• Cyberbullying

Reach out to our attorneys to see if you’re eligible for a claim.

You can also use the chatbot on this page to instantly determine whether you qualify to file a social media lawsuit.

Body Dysmorphia

Social media can exacerbate body dysmorphia by presenting carefully curated images of aesthetic individuals.

This can cause users to view their bodies inaccurately, and this is even more prevalent among young women.

Snapchat was originally a photo and video-sharing chat application.

Now, it has become a social media platform that gives users access to filters, group messaging, news stories, and more.

Filters in particular enhance and alter the visual appearance of the user whenever the user takes selfies or videos.

While visual filters are meant to add a layer of aesthetics to interactions and content sharing, they may come at the expense of a user’s mental health.

The gap between enhanced and un-enhanced images might become so pronounced that users develop body image issues, otherwise called body dysmorphia.

In a published peer-reviewed 2018 study, researchers at the Boston Medical Center found body dysmorphia to be present in more than 55% of people who sought plastic surgery.

According to these individuals, they opted for surgery to appear more like the digitally-enhanced version of themselves.

Eating Disorders

When a young user develops body dysmorphia, it can lead to preoccupations with food and healthy eating.

When the preoccupation becomes obsessive, it becomes an eating disorder.

Eating disorders from using Snapchat or other social media platforms occur because of unrealistic beauty standards.

These standards can fuel body dissatisfaction.

As a result, young users may develop eating disorders.

Of the many eating disorders associated with social media use, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the most prevalent.

Social Media Addiction and Loneliness

Besides eating disorders and body image issues, Snapchat may also contribute to social media addiction.

Social media addiction is characterized by the obsessive use of social media platforms.

Addiction occurs due to new stimuli in the form of constantly changing content and a stream of social interaction.

The novelty of content causes a dopamine rush that keeps users hooked.

Platforms like Snapchat make their content both novel and addicting by catering to the preferences of their users and pushing copious amounts of notifications to the user.

Through notifications and the presence of “streaks”, where users are encouraged to use Snapchat daily to keep a “streak” of how many days they’ve messaged another user, social media addiction is also fostered.

These platforms may be fostering addiction through social media algorithms that track what content users interact with the most.

Addiction isn’t just a blow to a person’s productivity and functionality.

Because Snapchat users are usually young adults and teens, the addiction deals a more severe blow that affects emotional and mental health.

According to the American Psychological Association, the effects are much more severe for users aged 10 to 12.

These are formative years in a person’s habit-forming and social development.

When exposed to social media, young users develop the habit of constantly checking their Snapchat apps for new interactions, notifications, and how many people have viewed their “story”.

This habit can be difficult to correct, especially if it has been formed at a young age.

Also, Snapchat usage can make isolation and impersonal communication the norm for social interactions.

This sets young users up for developing feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Depression

Depression occurs from social media use and addiction because it creates a false sense of competition and comparison.

When a user sees popular influencers on their feeds, they feel unable to keep up, experiencing feelings of inferiority and hopelessness — two signs of depression.

Users can also be exposed to the “fear of missing out” through their peers using social media and posting.

Besides social comparison, the isolating feeling of interacting via a screen contributes to feelings of depression.

According to the Child Mind Institute, virtual connections are less emotionally fulfilling.

When the bulk of a young user’s interactions are online, the user develops a feeling of social isolation.

Anxiety

Snap Inc and other social media companies may also be potentially liable for causing anxiety to young users.

There are many ways the platforms of these companies contribute to adolescent and teen anxiety.

One way is by leveraging the FOMO (fear of missing out) phenomenon.

The FOMO phenomenon is a tendency for users to compulsively check for the latest content on their feeds.

Using algorithms, social media apps present the newest content at various times of the day to keep users coming back for more.

Another way social media platforms contribute to anxiety is by presenting potentially negative content.

Users may be constantly bombarded with news and information that can be upsetting or anxiety-provoking, such as images of violence, natural disasters, or political unrest.

This can lead to feelings of fear, helplessness, and dread, which can contribute to anxiety disorders.

The time spent on social media seems to be a predictor of anxiety.

According to a 2020 study, adolescents who spent more than two hours on social media daily were more likely to develop anxiety compared to users who spent less time online daily.

Low Self-Esteem Due to Negative Social Comparison

Social media also has the potential to negatively affect a person’s self-esteem.

This occurs for many reasons.

Social media tends to foster a false sense of comparison.

Consequently, individuals may experience feelings of inadequacy and inferiority.

Upon encountering posts from others projecting success, attractiveness, or popularity, individuals might perceive themselves as falling short.

These perceptions can be particularly pronounced among adolescents who are still in the process of establishing their self-identity.

Besides that, social media platforms can perpetuate unrealistic body standards.

The frequent display of images featuring models and celebrities with idealized physiques can trigger feelings of dissatisfaction with one’s own body.

These feelings can prompt engagement in unhealthy behaviors, such as disordered eating.

The resulting cycle can further compromise an individual’s self-esteem.

Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation

Harmful social media content can be triggering to the point where it causes suicidal ideation and self-harm.

Social media can expose users to harmful content, such as images of self-harm or suicide.

This can be triggering for people who are already struggling with mental health problems.

Another way social media triggers self-harm and suicidal thoughts is by bombarding users with content that prompts social comparison and by becoming a breeding ground for cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying and harmful content can overwhelm young users and drive them to self-harm, especially if they are already suffering from anxiety or depression.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is another issue arising from social media use.

It can occur across any social media platform, making it tough to evade.

Through social media, cyberbullies can spread rumors, post embarrassing photos or videos, and send hurtful or threatening messages.

As a result, those targeted often grapple with feelings of isolation, fear, and depression.

In tragic instances, victims even contemplate suicide as the bullying begins to take a toll on their mental well-being.

Who Are the Defendants in the Social Media Mental Health Lawsuits?

Several companies are being named as defendants in social media lawsuits for the negative mental health impacts their social media platforms have caused.

Defendants in social media lawsuits include:

• Meta Platforms (Facebook and Instagram)
• Snap Inc (Snapchat)
• ByteDance (TikTok)
• Google (YouTube)

Our attorneys are are looking into potential legal action against these companies.

We are here to help victims attempt to recover compensation for the negative impact these companies have had on your child.

Contact us at TorHoerman Law now to find out if you qualify for a claim.

You can also use the chatbot on this page to determine your eligibility instantly.

TorHoerman Law: Your Social Media Addiction Lawyers

Our attorneys are speaking to potential new clients daily and accepting claims for social media lawsuits in all 50 states.

We recognize the devastating impact social media addiction and related mental health problems can have on children and their family members, and we are here to help you take action and make sure these companies are held accountable.

If your child has experienced issues like social media addiction or other mental health concerns stemming from their use of Snapchat and other social media platforms, you may be eligible to file a social media mental health lawsuit.

Contact TorHoerman Law for a free consultation.

You can also use the chatbot on this page to find out if you qualify for the Snapchat social media lawsuit instantly.

At TorHoerman Law, our legal team is actively examining litigation options against social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook.